Trying something new February 10th

On Wednesday Landon, Eli, and Emmy were able to try something for the first time - ice skating!!   I remember the first time I went was in Greensboro when I was 13 or 14.  Some people have this fearless excitement about trying new things but most of my kids are a little like me, a bit timid.   As I was driving there I wasn't really concerned about the fact that I had four kids ice skating but as we arrived I realized that I have only skated a handful of times in my life and now had three of my sweet children and only my two hands to teach them and hopefully help them learn to skate.   Luckily we had the rink pretty much to ourselves other than the 13 other kids from Ella's book club.  Plenty of room to hang on to the wall or venture out without concern of someone with more experience or reckless abandon bulldozing you over.   Ella has been severa times so she was using her skill and abilities to try to encourage her siblings.  Landon was on the ice before I could finish helping Eli put his skates on. He was willing to get out there without any instruction from me and was comfortable with the wall.   He quickly gained some speed and only fell a few times.  After 20 minutes or so the offer from another mom for him to go to a basketball game quickly ended his skating exploration.   In this time Emmy waited patiently with a look of what in the world is this place, while I took Eli around the rink.   He was full of tiny movements to propel himself carefully beside the wall while also holding firmly to my hand.  However, by the time I was helping Emmy I saw him attempting to leave the wall and balance while gradually moving his feet along the ice.  

   Lastly Emmy was ready to venture out. She reminded me of many little ones that put skates of any sort on moving their little feet back and forth with free movement but not willing to try and pick them up.  She quickly found it easier for mum to hold her hands and gently pull her while just trying to kee her feet still and her body balanced.  Fond memories of aching backs while holding small fingers of babies learning to walk flashed in my mind and also in my lower back.  It was a precious time as I thought about how I wasn't there to help her learn to walk.   Then several of the older girls that were super comfortable on the ice offered to take her around the rink.  She was so excited as they would each grab her hand and she would glide around the ice in the middle of two girls that she could look up to and feel the safety of going quickly without the need to make anything happen.  

   So after the initial "what was I thinking bringing 4 kids to an ice rink by myself" wore off I was able to be filled with the joy of seeing them try something new together and build a little confidence in a new ability.